Grate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. B. MERSHON.

GRATE.

Patented May 1, 1883.

i gi;

. naces, ranges, stoves, &c., of different construc- UNITED STATESPATENT Farce.

GEORGE B. MERSHON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,616, dated May 1,1883.

Application filed July 28,1682. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MERSHON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of grates and grate-bars described inLetters Patent granted to me August 1, 1876, July 10, 1877, and March11, 1879; and it consists in certain improvements, fully describedhereinafter, whereby theeflicienoy of the grate is increased, itsmanipulation and adjustment of the bars facilitated, and the appliancesfor operating the bars are protected.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view,

showing the grate-plate and grate and operating devices of a furnacehaving a cylindrical fire pot; Fig. 2, the same with the grate-barsremoved. Fig. 3is a front elevation, showing the front plate andbar-operating appliances Fig. 4, the same with the parts in differentposition; Fig. 5, a view showing the shape of the front cover or bearingplate; Fig. 6, a lon gitudinal section of-the grate on the line 12,3 Fig. I. Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan of 'one of the grate-bars. Fig.8is a view illustrating a prior construction. Fig. 9 is a perspectiveview of a cover-ring; Fig. 10, a perspective view of a range, showing abox or shield to protect the operating appliances, with a part ofthe boxbroken away 5 and Fig. 11 is a modi-i fication showing another form ofshield. Some of the improvements which I will describe are adapted tofurnaces having rectangular fire-pots; but I have illustrated them inthe drawings in connection with the circular grate, as the, latterembodies specific features of improvement not applicable to grates of adifi'erent construction.

VA is the front plate; B, the bed-plate or grate-plate; and G and D arethe usual doors covering the fuel and ash-pit openings. These parts maybe constructed differently, according as the improved grate is appliedto furtions.

The plate B is formed with a series of sockets, a, at the back, adaptedto receive the rear journals, a,of the grate-bars E,and with other j,which are connected by a cross-bar, e, as

shown in Fig. 3, a"lever,C, serving to rock all the spindles in themanner fully set forth in the Letters Patent granted to me March 11,1879.

The spindles (7, instead of being detachable from the bars, may beconnected to or cast with and form part of the latter, and the armsfmnybe cast with the spindles. To hold the spindles d securely in positionwhile they are rocked, and yet. permit their ready removal in order todetach a grate-bar or reverse its position when it is warped, I make thesupport of said spindles detachable. Thus the plate A may have alongitudinal recess, or, opposite the ends of the grate-b'ars,andaplate, A, may be adapted to said recessand provided at the upper edgewith sockets t', shaped to receive and constitute the bearings of thespindles d, which are held in place and support the bars in a horizontalposition when the plate A covers the opening an, as shown in Fig. 6. Onremoving the plate A the spindles will drop to the positions shown inFig. 4, dotted lines, and may be withdrawn, so that the respective barscan be detached. The longitudinal movements of the spindles when theplate is in place may be prevented by thickening the plate, as shown indotted lines c, Fig. 6, so as to fit between collars h h on thespindles, or by forming annular grooves in the latter adapted'to receivethe edge of the plate; but I prefer to form a groove, m, at the underside of the bed-plate B, adapted to receive the collars h when the barsare horizontal, thus preventing any endwise play. When the spindles orjournalsare lowered, as shown in Fig. 4t, the collars are dropped fromthe groove, so that the spindles may be withdrawn.

The plate Amay be held in place by means of buttons lor other suitabledevices,which buttons are pivoted at the upper ends, so as not to shakeloose when the furnace is agitated in raking. The plate may beconstructed in different ways; or, insteadof the plate, a bar arrangedback of the plate .A and hinged at one end, so as 'to be dropped torelease the ICO ' or dropping bar, I sometimes construct the frontplate, A, of a furnace, Figs. 3, 4, and 6, with an opening, an,above'the end of the bedplate B, which opening I cover with a plate, N,having a flange at its lower edge to drop into a groove in the top ofthe bed-plate B, near its outer end, and this plate N is secured andheld in position at the top by two or more buttons,a. By removing theplate N ready access can be had to the, interior of the firepot or tothe bolts that hold the sections of the plates together.

It is desirable sometimes to reverse the gratebars should they rise orsink or become warped by heat; but this cannot be done in constructionsheretofore adopted with circular grates-for instance, that illustratedin Fig. 8, where, owing to the curved form of the openingin thebed-plate, it is necessary to cut off the end lugs of the bar at theside opposite the edge of the bed-plate, so that the bars can be rocked;but the contact of the lugs or teeth a and the plate B prevents the barsbeing rotated sufficiently to reverse them. To obviate this objection Imake each bar only of such length as will serve to support an equalnumber of lugs upon the opposite sides, and then extend parts of thebed-plate B inward on opposite sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, formingoffsets or steps 8, which are recessed to form the journal sockets, andfrom these offsets project lips t, filling the spaces which wouldotherwise be left vacant, and taking the place of the teeth removed fromthe bars, so that there can be no loss by the slipping of unburned coalinto the ash-pit. To further prevent such a result, I form upon thesides of the plate B lugs n, which extend between the teeth oftheopposite bars to co-operate with the latter to sustain the bed of coaland to crush the cinders when the bars are rocked.

The sockets are open at the top, and are cov-- cred by a frame or'ring,I, which is detachable, and may be flanged, as shown, to form inconjunction with a flange, w, on the plate B a groove for the cylinderto set in. The plate or ring I is constructed to rest on the bed-plateB, but so far above the journals of the bars that said journals can tiltupward when the outer ends of the bars are lowered. ()n the under sideof the ring, above the sockets a, are I short lugs a beveled as shown,so as to keep the journals in the sockets, yet permit them to tiltupward when the front ends of the bars are lowered.

The bars as heretofore constructed have had side lugs or teeth, at, ofsubstantially uniform width or thickness, so that in case of shrink ageof the bars, or of longitudinal displace-b merely covment thereof, theteeth of one bar would sometimes be brought over those of the next,causing the two to strike, limiting the rotary movement and interferingwith the raking of the fire. To prevent this I curve the teeth at eachside the bottom, or preferably toward the top and bottom, leaving themthickest in the middle, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, so that if the toothof one bar is brought over that of another the contact of the inclinedsides will thrust the bars longitudinally as they are rotated,preventing any locking of the bars, and restoring them thus to theirplaces.

It is desirable in many cases to prevent too extended a movement of thebars. I secure this result by making the armsfof such width andproportions that they will come in contact, as shown in dotted lines,Fig. 3, before the teeth of one bar can pass above or beyond those ofanother to any great extent, the bars being thus held in their properrelative positions, while the power of the lever is prevented fromcoming upon any one bar.

The exposure of the front cranks and connecting-bar is sometimesobjectionable, as in furnaces particles of coal drop between the cranksand face-plate and interfere with the operation of the raker, and inranges, portable stoves, &c., the same result ensues, while the exposureof the cranks detracts from the artistic finish of the article. Toprevent this I boxin the cranks and contiguous parts by a box, J, openat the under side, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, as applied to afurnace, and in-Fig. 10 as combined with a range, and in Fig. 11 asapplied to a cylinder-stove,) this box covering the said parts andpreventing their obstruction or exposure.

The arm or lever C", or rod for operating the grate-bars, is extendedthrough a slotin the box, either as shown in full lines or as in dottedlines, both in Fig. 10, or otherwise. It will be apparent that thiscover for the baroperating appliances may be employed in grates, stoves,ranges, furnaces, and wherever such appliances are used.

I do not claim the projecting box covering the operating devices.

I claim- 1. The bed-plate provided with a series of sockets, a b,combined with detachable bars having journals turning in said sockets,and with a detachable flanged covering ring or frame, I, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination of the bed-plate, socketed as set forth, and having aflange, w, the

detachable bars, a ndthe flanged frame I, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the bedplate and the dumping-bars and the frame I,secured to the bed-plate, as described, so as to leave a space above thejournals of the bars, for the purpose set forth.

4'. The frame I, with its lugs, combined with the socketed bed-plate, asand for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the front plate, A,

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having an opening, a:, a detachable plate fitted thereto, and grate-barshaving journals supported by a movable bearing, substantially as setforth.

6. The combination of the bed-plate, gratebars provided with journals,and a movable hearing, A, for the journals at one end, substantially asspecified. y

7. The combination, with the dumping grate bars, of journals detachablefrom the bars and a movable bearing for said journals, as specified.

8. The combinationof the grate-bars, the journals having collars h, andthe plate B,

having a groove adapted to receive the coloffsets being socketed toreceive the journals of the parallel rocking bars, substantially as setforth.

11. The combination, in a grate, of rocking bars provided with fiatupper and lower faces,

side teeth beveled at the sides toward the top and bottom, as set forth,whereby the bars will be moved longitudinally when the beveled sides arebrought in contact, as specified.

12. The combination, with the rocking gratebars provided with side lugs,of operatingappliances constructed to rock the bars, but to limit themovements thereof, as specified,

whereby the lugs of one bar are prevented.

from rising beyond oraway from those of the adjacent bar, asset forth.

, In testimony whereot'I have signed my name to this specification inthepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE E. MERSHON,

Witnesses:

GEO. F. MUNcE, CHARLES E. HENRY;

